Film Review: Odd Brodsky

“ODD BRODSKY is a quirky comedy following the adventures of 30-something Audrey Brodsky, who’ll do almost anything to find her big break in Hollywood. Fueled by a graveside promise to become an actress, Audrey moves to Hollywood and finds great success… working 40 hours a week at an office job she hates. Ten years pass in the blink of an eye when Audrey finally decides to reclaim her childhood dream.” – oddbrodsky.com

Odd Brodsky by Cindy Baer is an absolute gem of an indie film. Allow me to explain: I’ve attended many film festivals and seen countless independent movies, but none quite captured my delight and entertained me so instantaneously as this film did. Simultaneously quirky and hilarious, while bittersweet and real, Audrey Brodsky is a likeable character that doesn’t fall into typical female stereotypes. She holds her own, despite her pitfalls, and had me rooting for her vehemently from start to finish. Being an actor in Los Angeles adds an extra layer of relatability for me. Not only is the acting great, but the pacing is superb, the visuals captivating, the dialogue is witty, and each character adds something vital.

This timeless piece starts in by introducing us to 22-year-old Audrey Brodsky (Tegan Ashton Cohan), who is about to leave her home in Hollywood Iowa, and set off to pursue her dream of being an actress in none-other-than Hollywood, California. Instead of predictably continuing forward from there, we instead go back in time to meet 9-year-old Audrey (Ilana Klusky), and witness her adorable (yet surprisingly sad) “origin story”. Complemented by a quirky score, I instantly got the feeling that this movie was different than most, yet not at all contrived.

After Audrey lands in California, she finds herself stuck at a desk job in order to make a living. She’s absolutely fantastic at this job, and it pays well too. Sounds great, right? Not really, because Audrey can’t fight the acting bug. When she’s offered a promotion at work, that’s the final straw! She quits. From here we follow the many relatable adventures of Ms. Brodsky, as she moves into a new apartment, takes on a roommate named Spuds (actor/musician Scotty Dickert) and formulates her big plan to make it in the industry. This plan includes hiring an inspiring filmmaker named Camera One (hilariously played by Matthew Kevin Anderson) to document her life as she climbs the ladder to stardom.

Rest assured, if you live in Los Angeles and you’re an artist, or if you KNOW an artist, you will certainly appreciate the myriad of “insider jokes” about the industry and Hollywood culture. They entertain and hit hard. While amusing, these nods aren’t far off from the daily reality many up-and-comers face.

Don’t worry though, even if you’ve never been to LA in your life or are unsure how you’ll relate to a female-centric film, anyone will take something away from this inspiring movie. While the themes may seem specific, they are actually universal, no matter what their dream or occupation is. At the end of the day, we all seek connection, validation, and permission to follow our dreams. And that’s what this movie is all about.

With Ms. In The Biz being a place for female-empowerment, I have to acknowledge the superb writing and development of characters/story by multi-hyphenate Cindy Baer who co-wrote, directed, produced, acted in, and even edited Odd Brodsky. Talk about mega talent! It’s refreshing to see a cast made up of mostly females that doesn’t disparage the male characters, and also doesn’t fall into any common trapping of many comedies fall into. Audrey Brodsky is highly likeable, regardless of her weaknesses, because she is so relatable (whether you’re a gal or a guy) and you find yourself rooting for her through her whole journey.

I admired how this film dug deep into backstory, had well developed characters, plot arcs, lessons and themes, references and the blended genres. And it looked great! Cinematography and production design is often sacrificed in micro-budget movies, but the whole look of the movie was outstanding. Odd Brodsky is not only pretty to watch, but has something to say. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Their official website puts it beautifully, “In the end, we are reminded that validation and happiness have little to do with fame. What most people want is to be connected; connected with ourselves, each other and the world.”

Odd Brodsky will be available on iTunes on November 29th, and then on other VOD platforms shortly after.

In the meantime, check out the BRAND NEW teaser trailer below, and look out for my interview with Cindy Baer coming soon!

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Actress. “An old cosmic soul disguised as a 21st-century earthling”. Kaytra has no recollection of “catching” any acting bug... it was always there. At the ripe age of 3, she pointed to the television enthusiastically and declared, “I want to be IN THAT!”. After her parents jokingly reminded her she would have to be really small to fit in there, Kaytra skipped and tripped her way through adolescence until she landed a coveted spot at the Orange County High School of the Arts (OCSA). There she spent 4 years studying everything from stage combat to documentary filmmaking amongst a wide variety of young artists. A professional nerd on the side, she also freelances as a social media manager/video editor/techie, and spends her free time Netflixing and obsessing about space. Kaytra hopes to combine her love of acting, filmmaking and activism to evoke positive change both individually and globally.

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